Albatross
by Mme. Raye
Summary: The many adventures of the Cephissus and her crew! [Some violence and mild language] Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma, 'nuff said. Don't forget to review! Thanks!

Chapter 1: Cephissus

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A large grey ship with black wings entered the atmosphere a dusty planet. As it approached the dry, flat ground, a woman marked it. She watched it but it was moving too quick. It landed, practically crashed, on the ground with a loud bang noise along with cries of metal, twisting out of shape. She began to think that it might not be the best idea. 

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A man tinkered around a large, sputtering engine with a large drill.

"Ryoga, you jackass!" The man yelled angrily. He tossed the drill aside and picked up a rag to wipe the grease off his hands. He reached up to his dark brown ponytail and pulled out the rubber band. His brunette hair framed his delicate looking face. He reached for the zipper of his denim jump suit and tugged it down. She picked up a piece of mangled metal and handed it to the man that just appeared in the doorway.  
"Ranchan, do you realize how much that cost?" He asked slipping out of the jumpsuit and revealed a modest outfit of a jeans and white wife beater.  
"I realize Ucchan, but unless you have some gold ingots tucked away it's gonna have to wait." Ukyo blushed and straightened up.  
"Then I hope you have a plan on how to get out of here because we're a lame duck."  
"I'm going to find money, don't worry, just fix as much of it as you can."  
"Yeah, tell Ryoga that whenever he gets a chance, I need to speak with him." She lifted up a large wrench menacingly.  
"I'll remind him." Ranma winced and headed up the ladder. He walked down the corridor to a set of stairs. He climbed the stairs and walked in the cockpit. He glared at his pilot and second in command of a crew that only consisted of him, Ryoga, and Ukyo.  
"You know, you should be down there fixing the engine." Ryoga shrugged.  
"I would but I'm afraid that Ukyo may try and do something unnatural to me."  
"You deserve it."  
"Don't tell her that." Ranma rolled his eyes.  
"Where did you crash us?"  
"I think we're somewhere near Thabit but we could also be in Meissa but as far as I know we're in the Orion galaxy."  
"Some navigator you are." Ranma frowned. "Don't the Tarquins own this?"  
"You are going to ask for a loan from the Tarquins? Good luck. The last deal I tried to make with them ended up getting me stabbed and my wife raped."  
"You don't have a wife." Ranma shot him a look and loaded up on his pistols.  
"Well if I did, then she could have been. They certainly threatened to."  
"Stay here and try to help Ukyo later, even though she hates your guts I think she would appreciate your help." He opened the hatch and stepped out onto an arid planet with red sands.  
"I'll give her a minute to cool down. Listen, Ranma you don't want to go makin' trouble with the Tarquins."  
"Don't you know Ryoga, Trouble is my middle name." Ranma gave him his classic grin and walked off.  
"Stupid bastard." Ryoga muttered and headed to the engine room.

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Ranma looked around at the dusty red planet with dilapidated metal buildings that reflected the sun light making the planet feel hotter than it real was. He walked over to the seediest bar he could find and sat down to have a drink. He scanned the bar, not making eye contact, and hovered over his drink. His eyes settled at the very corner of the musty room and saw an egiine. He grinned and finished off his drink. He slowly walked over to the corner.

"Hullo and let me introduce myself, I am Ranma Saotome." Ranma held out his hand for him to shake but it turned it's head. "I see you're very friendly." He retracted his hand and sat down. "Listen, let me be frank, I'm looking for work." The egiine said nothing. "Ok, can you please tell me where I can talk to your boss?" The egiine still ignored him. "So I guess this means we have to deal with this the hard way." Ranma placed his pistol on the table. The egiine shifted in the chair. "Do you need another drink?" Asked a waitress. She saw the gun and backed away from the table. The egiine moved quickly, picked up the gun, and pointed it at Ranma.  
"Whoa! I meant no trouble." Ranma drew his other pistol and pointed at him. "Put the gun down." He commanded it. He heard a click as the egiine loaded the pistol. Ranma blinked, did he just see small fingers?  
"Take your business elsewhere, I don't be needin' this mess." The bartender pointed an imposing weapon at both of them. Ranma followed the egiine out of the bar. He placed his hand on the egiine's shoulder but it began to run off. Ranma groaned and ran after the egiine. It was surprisingly fast, usually they were slow, dumb creatures but this one was rather speedy. He weaved through alleys and through the streets after the egiine. Ranma nearly tripped over, its leg? He stopped and picked up the leg and examined it. It wasn't an egiine at all. Ranma dropped the leg and sped after the egiine. He finally ran it down into a dead end.  
"Listen, I don't want to hurt no one, just want my pistol back." Ranma said with his hands in the air. The egiine raised it's arm, pistol in hand.  
"Drop all your money or I'll kill you!" The voice was uneven, the hand was shaky.  
"You see, the problem with that is you are dead ended, even if I dropped your money, I block your only way out."  
"Not unless I kill you first."  
"No one wants to die." The egiine fired a shot that lightly grazed the side of Ranma's head.  
"Damn! That hurt!" Ranma rubbed the wound.  
"I missed." The egiine said.  
"You're makin' me angry, I promise I won't miss." Ranma pulled out his gun. "Looks like you have no way out."  
"You would kill an innocent person?"  
"No, but you are pointing a gun at me."  
"I need help." The egiine lowered the gun.  
"I figure, if you want to mess me with me, you need lots of help."  
"Please I need money!"  
"I can't help you there. Now give me back my gun."  
"You're just going to leave me here on this dumb rock without a gun."  
"Did you forget that you stole it from me?" Ranma asked.  
"I'd figure a good-for-nothing hick like you couldn't help me!" The egiine handed Ranma the gun as he walked by. Ranma grabbed its arm and threw him against the wall.  
"No one calls me a hick. Not even a worthless low life like you!" Ranma yelled angrily at it. He turned and walked, after one step, and he spun back around. "I'm taking you with me. I might be able to get a bounty on you." Ranma cuffed the egiine and headed back to the ship.  
"Ryoga, let me in." Said at the com screen.  
"Did you bring something back?" Ryoga asked.  
"Yeah, let me in." The door opened and Ranma climbed on board with the egiine. He locked him in an empty storage room.  
"Ranchan! I hope you brought back some money." Ukyo said.  
"Or hopefully some pain killers." Ryoga muttered as he rubbed a bump on the back of his head.  
"You're injured." She tried to examine his head but Ranma waved her off.  
"No, no money. It looks like the rock is dry. We need to move on." Ranma said taking a seat. He was tired from the afternoon jog.  
"How? I mean the engine 2 is damaged beyond repair. We have no money, no supplies."  
"I don't know Ukyo. Just work on the ship, I'll figure it out." Ukyo's chest seemed to fall, he never used Ukyo with her.  
"Yessir, Cap'n." Ukyo snapped and ran off to the engine room.  
"Women." Ryoga shook his head as he watched Ukyo leave. "So what's the plan?" Ryoga asked.  
"I don't have anything yet but when I know I'll tell you."  
"You must have messed up, see what I told you about the Tarquins." Ranma took a seat on a chair by the store room.  
"It's not the Tarquins I'm worried about."  
"Just don't get killed. Ukyo will kill me if you weren't around." Ryoga went to his own quarters. Ranma opened the storeroom door and shut it behind him. The egiine sat on the floor.  
"I'll let you go, just tell me who you are."  
"I can't."  
"Then I'll be waiting until you do. I think I might call the S.P. on you." The egiine made no movement. "But I'll give you a few hours to decide." Ranma locked the door and sat back on the chair. The egiine stripped off its suit and began working to get out of the storeroom.

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Meanwhile, Ukyo was muttering angrily to herself.  
"Just work on the ship, I'll figure it out…What a jackass!" She threw a wrench across the engine room. "He neglects the ship, he neglects me! I wonder why I still put up with this." She stopped moving when she felt something pressed against the back of her head.  
"Put your hands where I can see them." Said a soft voice.

Ranma yawned loudly and stretched his limbs. He sat there for a good hour. He placed his hands in his lap and began to think about what to do next. He could turn in his prisoner for a small sum, just enough fuel to make it to the next rock, but then what? He felt the ship lurch. He jumped to his feet and strode over the com screen."Ucchan! You wonderful woman! You fixed the engine! I knew a genius-" He stopped, something wasn't right. "Ucchan? Is everything ok?" The shipped jerked to the right and there was a loud boom. Ranma regained his balance and ran to the cockpit. The door was locked."Open the door!" He yelled at the com screen.  
"I can't believe you brought a woman on board, she's going to kill us." Ukyo said.  
"Ucchan! Do something!" He ordered her.   
"Wish I could but I'm locked up." She put up her hands.  
"What woman?" He asked. "Get her on the screen."  
"She doesn't want to, not yet." Ukyo turned her head away from the com screen. "Sugar, you are going to kill us." She said to someone. Ranma watched the screen and waited for Ukyo or the woman to say something. But the com screen went black, the lights cut out, and the emergency lights flickered on. Ranma's eyes adjusted to the blinking red light.  
"What the hell is going on?" Ryoga asked rubbing his eyes.  
"A woman has Ukyo in there." Ranma replied.  
"A woman, what woman?" Ranma shrugged. "How we gonna get in there?" Ryoga asked.  
"You got anything to blast it open?"  
"What do you want?"  
"Something quick."  
"You got it."  
"Do you know what you're doing?" Ukyo asked the woman.  
"I know how to fly if that's what you mean." The woman replied.  
"Honestly, this is not how I imagined dying. If you untie me, I can get us to the next moon safely." The woman sighed heavily.  
"Don't try anything fishy, I will shoot you if I suspect anything." The woman untied Ukyo. Ukyo stood up quickly, knocked the gun out of her hand, and kicked the woman squarely in the chest. She tied the moaning woman up. Ukyo then pulled up some screens on the main panel, after making a few selections, and then she hopped in the pilot's seat, took the controls, and landed the ship. The door burst open when the ship landed safely on the ground. Ranma and Ryoga were both holding weapons.  
"What the hell is going on here!" Ranma yelled. Ukyo shrugged.  
"Took care of it, Cap'n." She replied. "See, Ryoga, that's how you land a ship." She said smugly. Ryoga lowered his gun. Ryoga made a face at Ukyo.  
"No ass-kicking for me?" Ryoga set down his gun. The woman was struggling in her bonds. Ranma pointed the gun at her forehead and she immediately stopped.  
"You better tell me who you are and why I shouldn't call the S.P. on you." Ranma said calmly.  
"You're not going to kill me." She said flatly.  
"And why not?"  
"Because I'm worth too much for kill."  
"You take someone on my crew hostage and try to hijack my ship and I'm not going to kill you?" Ranma sounded irritated. "Who are you?" She didn't answer. Ranma pressed the gun against her forehead. "Answer my question doll-face."  
"My name is Akane Tendo." She replied.

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A/N: So, what did you think? I'd been toying around with this idea for a long time. I know the whole Ranma in space idea is not original but I hope to create a good enough story line that it seems original. I don't have a beta reader so if I make a mistake, please let me know. Thanks, I hope you enjoyed it!

Notes:  
_ S.P._: A transnational bureaucratic police force  
_ egiine_: A general term describing filthy people hired by crime lords. They don't bathe and wear layers of ditry clothes covering their bodies and hiding their faces. Most are addicted to narcotics and have little or no education, considered the scum of humanity. (Pronounced with a hard "g" like in girl.)  
_ Tarquins_: An extensive crime family with branches in the more populated planets.  
_ Cephissus_: Name of the ship


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Girl From Kornephoros

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"Ok, Akane Tendo, let me pull up your file and see what kind of bounty I can collect."  
"Ranma, wait a minute. I've heard the name Tendo before." Ukyo said. She motioned to talk in a securer place."Ryoga keep an eye on her." Ryoga nodded and stared at girl. They stepped out into a corridor, out of earshot.  
"What is it?" Ranma asked.  
"Tendo is a very powerful family in the Union."  
"And?"  
"Last month, all of the Tendo daughters were kidnapped. Now we have Akane, one of the daughters, if we turn her-"  
"We can collect on her head." Ranma finished what she started and understood where she was going. Ukyo shook her head.  
"Or she could say that we were her kidnappers and kill us. If she's free then why is she running around here, why is she not back in Kornephoros?" She asked.  
"Obviously she escaped."  
"It's too fishy."  
"You're right, she asked for money, why would she need money if she's wealthy?" Ranma wondered.  
"We've got to be careful, she wants to get away and we're technically kidnappers." Ukyo answered. "We could let her go."  
"She could turn us in later, you know we don't have the cleanest record." Ranma thought for a minute. "I'll find out her story, you find out as much as you can about what the Union has on her. I'll have Ryoga sell some of our things to get us a fuel to a safer place. How're the thrusters looking?" He asked.  
"It's fine enough to get us to a rock nearby."  
"Good. When you get what I asked, come in but say nothing at all." Ranma instructed. She nodded.  
"Yes, Cap'n." She replied. Ranma walked back in the room and whispered in Ryoga's ear. Ryoga nodded and left.  
"How you feelin' Akane Tendo? Doing well?"  
"You should have dropped your money and run."  
"Yeah, I could have done that, but I'm making more money this way." Ranma sat in a chair and leaned back.  
"And I will tell my father that you are one of the kidnappers."  
"I just talked to him, pleasant man. He was so relieved to get one of his babies back. He also told me terrible news." This struck a chord with Akane.  
"What?"  
"I don't think it's appropriate that I tell you now." He sat down. He waited for her to speak next.  
"I will tell you everything, just tell me what happened." Akane gave in. Ranma hid a smile.  
"Ok, go ahead."  
"My dad, he's a big figure in the Union. As the Chancellor of Kornephoros and has a large role of the Commonwealth of Herculin so naturally he gathers quite a few enemies. Anyway, it happened about two weeks ago. I was in our château on a moon near Kornephoros and it happened sometime in the night, my sisters were kidnapped. I, luckily, was spared from the kidnapping because that night I wasn't in my room. So when I found out that my sisters were kidnapped, I knew it was only a matter of time until they would find me. So I went into hiding, I pretended to be kidnapped myself so I can find my sisters and bring them back."  
"Is that all?" Ranma pressed.  
"Yes, I know this all seems crazy but I just want my sisters back, I never meant to harm any of you."  
"So you hid as an egiine for a month?"  
"It was the only way that I could move from planet to planet without catching any unwanted attention." Ranma took in the story. Ukyo walked in and nodded to Ranma.  
"You stay there, no more escaping." He commanded and left with Ukyo.  
"I got the stuff. I had to go through some 3rd party terminals so we wouldn't get traced. It took longer but we're undetected by the S.P." She touched the screen and showed Ranma the file.  
"That's her." Ranma said.  
"So what did she say?" Ukyo asked.  
"She's going after her sisters."  
"That's rather valiant from a top class snob. How did she escape her captors?"  
"She didn't, they missed her, she switched her room, so she went into hiding to find them."  
"She thinks she can find them?"  
"Well, she did tie you up and almost took off with this ship." Ukyo shrugged.  
"She wouldn't have gotten far. The engine was too unstable, we would have blown up 'fore leaving atmo."  
"That's great to know." Ranma said.  
"Hey, I saved our butts, even Princess Akane in there. You know what I think, we should dump her back onto this planet. She's too hot, the S.P. are looking for her everywhere. Soon they'll turn up on this ship and then we'll be on the stand, no matter if her story checks out."  
"Yeah but we could make a killing. Be heroes, it's a nice pay off. We could even retire." Ranma said. "Remember our last job? Nearly died and made nothing." Ukyo sighed and continued. "Ranchan, you've got me and Ryoga to think about, this could blow up in our face."  
"I won't let it."  
"Right, I'm going to get the engine back in shape. We might be able to leave in the morning." Ukyo said and headed out. Ranma walked back in the room. Akane looked weary.  
"So are you going to tell me the news?"  
"There is no news, I lied. I didn't contact the S.P."  
"Why would you lie?"  
"Because you are the ticket out of this life." He replied. "See I could let you go back to your lavish life, maybe you'll find your sisters some year, maybe get kidnapped, I don't know. I figure I can change that. I can help you find your sisters."  
"And what's the catch?"  
"Our services aren't going to be cheap."  
"So you're black mailing me?" Ranma grinned.  
"No, I'm offering you help."  
"So you not going to turn me in? You are going to help me?" She asked. Ranma nodded. A com screen started blinking on the main panel.  
"Ranma, let me in!" Ryoga said panting loudly. "We need to take off now!"  
"Wha-"  
"Don't ask questions." Ryoga ducked from a bullet heading toward his head. Ranma opened a menu to allow Ryoga entrance. Ranma went on the PA.  
"Ukyo, we're taking off." He turned off the speaker and hopped into the pilot's chair. "I hope this boat can handle it." He said. "Better buckle up, Miss Tendo."  
"Buckle up! I'm still tied up!" She yelled.  
"Right, well hold on, it's going to be a bumpy ride." He gave her his classic grin. He said as they left the dusty, red planet. Ryoga rushed in the room, still panting.  
"Keep going!" Ryoga said while trying to catch his breath. There was a distant explosion.  
"Is that-are we being attacked!" Ranma yelled.  
"It seems that the Tarquins never forget." Ryoga said in a low growl.  
"Idiot, take the wheel." Ryoga grabbed the wheel. Ranma quickly untied Akane.  
"You, go man that machine gun over there." He ordered her.  
"What makes you think I'm going to do anything!" She snapped.  
"Unless you want to die on this piece of scrap metal, I suggest you do everything I tell you!" Akane angrily shook her head and got into the seat. Ranma took the other gun. He saw a swarm of tiny fighter crafts.  
"Ryoga you better hurry to get us to safety!" Ranma yelled.  
"I'm trying, just keep them off while I bump us."  
"Can this ship handle hyperspace in it's current condition?"  
"It's better than our chances here." Ryoga said. Ranma felt the ship lurch suddenly to the left and then to the right. Ranma saw that everything was a black, he walked back to the cockpit and clapped Ryoga on the shoulder. "Great job." The com screen opened.  
"Ryoga, you've got to put the ship back on ground! The engine is too hot-" There was a loud explosion and the screen went black.  
"Ukyo!" Ryoga cried. He turned to run to the engine room but Ranma caught him.  
"You land this thing, I'll take care of her." Ranma left. He ran to the engine room, Akane was panting behind him. The door was sealed shut, he began pressing the override code. "Stay back, it's not safe."  
"I can help." Akane replied. Ranma shrugged and opened the door. Sparks were barely visible through the thick smoke.  
"Ucchan!" He called out, he covered his mouth. He heard coughing and found her on the ground. He lifted her up and took her out of the room and placed her on a bench.  
"Ranchan?" She asked and started coughing.  
"Where's the med kit?" Akane asked Ranma. He opened a cupboard and tossed it to her. Akane began treating Ukyo's burns. The ship made a sudden stop, throwing Akane into Ranma. The power cut out, including the back up power source.  
"Are you ok?" Ranma asked in the dark.  
"Yeah I'm fine." Akane replied. "I can't see anything."  
"Just wait for the lights to come on." Ranma ordered. They heard shuffling and footsteps. A flashlight shined on them, blinding them for a minute.  
"Jesus, Ranma, you could have waited until we took care of Ukyo." Ryoga said in a disgusted tone. Ranma felt Akane hastily climb off of him. Ranma hid a grin as he watched the girl dust herself off.  
"It's not like I would want anything to do with that barbarian!" Akane pointed at Ranma.  
"Ukyo, are you ok?" Ryoga asked as he lifted up Ukyo from the ground and placing her back on a bed.  
"I'm fine, but you blew up the engine jackass." She replied with a meek smile. Akane picked up the flash light and pointed it to her legs.  
"Those are serious burns, and I think your leg might be fractured." Ranma said examining her left leg.  
"I'm fine, I'll be fine."  
"Ryoga, we need to get her to a doctor."  
"Ranma, I'm not even sure where we are, I just landed us, I mean, we could be on some desert moon." Ryoga said.  
"Ranma, just set my leg, I've seen you do it before." Ukyo said. "I've got to fix this ship. It's in terrible state." Ranma nodded.  
"How much is that going to cost?" Ranma asked.  
"It's an engine. It'll be a lot, a lot more than we have now." Ukyo said. She groaned. The speaker made a loud buzz noise.  
"This is the U.S. Air Force, your vehicle has crashed on a restricted area, we're coming in." Ranma waved for Akane to follow him. When the door opened he came jogging back. Many armed men swarmed in carrying guns followed by a stiff officer.  
"Who's in charge of this ship?" He said.  
"I am, Captain Ranma Saotome." Ranma held out his hand but the officer didn't take it. "People are sure friendly these days."  
"Follow me. You and your crew." His eyes narrowed on Ryoga.  
"She's injured." Ryoga said pointing to Ukyo.  
"I see, we'll have someone from our medical staff take care of her." He nodded his head and a man opened something from his belt. He pressed a button and it unfolded into a stretcher. Ryoga carefully placed Ukyo in the stretcher and they took her away. Ranma and Ryoga followed the men in suits.

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_Akane…Akane…**Akane!**_  
Akane Tendo opened her eyes quickly. She rubbed her temple, trying to relieve the pressure that gathered behind her eyes. The headaches were coming back. As a child, she used to get terrible migraines after her mother died, her father would take her to Doctor Tofu and he would give her a medicine that made them go away. She wondered if she would see Tofu or her father again. She wondered if she could find her sisters and see Kornephoros. It had been weeks since she last saw her family. How long before she would seem them again? Months? Years? She sighed and decided to get some sleep.

Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω

"So how long have you owned this ship?" The lieutenant asked.  
"About five years." Ranma replied, he leaned forward on the table and stared the man down. "Listen, I don't want to do a little dance around the subject. You want the truth? Me and my crew were attacked out in space and had to make an emergency landing. How much is it going to cost to leave?"  
"That's what's wrong with all you criminals, we're not after money, not yet at least." The door opened and a younger looking man walked up to the lieutenant and whispered something in his ear. The lieutenant's face turned somber and he glared at Ranma.  
"Take him into confinement." He barked at the guards at the door. They nodded mechanically and took Ranma by the shoulders.  
"Listen fellas, isn't there some kinda accord we come to?" He asked. They shoved him hard into a cell. Ranma sighed and took a seat. He wondered how the girls and Ryoga were doing.

Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω

Akane woke to noise coming from the ship. A deep dread came over her as she thought that they might find her. Could she make up a story? Her father would get angry that she left him but at that time she thought it was the only way to get her sisters back.  
"The asshole drops a name and we have to work double time! This is shit!" Akane felt her stomach drop. Did Ranma tell them about her?  
"Yeah, well the general is tight lipped about it, he don't seem too pleased."  
"Let's just get the job done and get outta here." Akane felt her body tense. A loud banging noise echoed through the ship. Were they trying to get to her? She closed her eyes and regretted trusting that jerk. The footsteps got closer and she stretched her neck to look out of the air vent at them. One of them was using his fingertips and pulling up paperwork on a clear clipboard.  
"I guess that's all they want us to do." He said. Akane squinted to see the paperwork but he was too far away. She looked at the other man, he was staring right at her! She felt her stomach go cold and her body tense. Her foot began to twitch and her heart beat painfully in her chest. She quickly moved her head back and prayed he didn't see her. She counted her heart beats to help calm her body down but nothing worked, she had been caught, she thought, her sisters…  
"What is it?" The man with the clipboard asked.  
"Nothing, I just thought I saw something in the vent." Akane held her breath and closed her eyes tightly. This is it, she thought, this is the end.  
"There's nothing there, you're just tired. Working on this shit-hole of ship will do that to ya. Let's get out of here."  
"You're right, I am tired."  
"See, how about a beer after work, I heard they hired a new waitress at Larry's."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah…" Their voices faded. Akane let out the breath she held in and felt her body relax. The anxiety eased out and left her body drained, she yawned and after listening to the sounds of the ship for some time, she decided it was safe to fall asleep again.

Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω

Ranma stood up when the door opened. A general walked in.  
"I see it helps to have family in high places." He said looking at a thin clear tablet. Ranma craned his neck to catch a glimpse of what it said. All he caught was a black triangle, pointed down. The general hastily moved his clipboard back and glared at Ranma. "You're free to go, I have instructions for you when you leave here with your crew."  
Ranma looked visibly relieved to see Ryoga and Ukyo again as they met in the hangar. Ukyo's leg was nearly healed but she would have to use a crutch for that leg until it was fully healed, and all of her burns had a thick layer of salve on them. Ranma looked over Cephissus, she was completely fixed up as well. Ranma nodded them to follow them on board and the general stopped him.  
"Remember your instructions." Ranma shrugged the general off. He boarded Cephissus and walked to the cockpit.  
"Ryoga we're taking off, don't slow down or nothin', straight on out." He went on the intercom screen. "Ucchan, get this thing ready to take off."  
"Ready Ranchan." Ukyo replied. Ranma nodded to Ryoga. When they were in the safety of deep space, Ranma went over the loud speaker.  
"Akane, it's safe to come out." Ryoga leaned back in his seat, indicating the ship was on autopilot.  
"Sure nice of them to fix it." He said to Ranma.  
"I am just glad they did not find me." Akane said, joining them.  
"Everything is in great shape." Ukyo said while hobbling in. "The engine has never looked so good."  
"Yeah, I might be the luckiest man in the universe." Ranma stretched his arms out and tucked his hands behind his head.  
"So, you guys are really going to help me find my sisters?" Akane asked them. Ranma looked to Ryoga. Ryoga nodded.  
"Of course, we always help people in need." Ranma said looking at Ukyo. Ukyo turned her head to the side.  
"Yeah, whatever." She said.  
"Thanks, really thanks." Akane smiled at Ranma, Ranma felt something in his chest tighten.  
"No problem, now we just need a lead."  
"Ranma we have a message." Ryoga announced.  
"Must be our lead, I am the luckiest man in the universe." Ranma grinned at Akane. "What does it say?"  
"It's a bill." Ranma's grin faded.  
"A bill?" Ranma stood up and looked over Ryoga's shoulder at the bill. He let a tirade of obscenities to which Ryoga smirked, Ukyo rolled her eyes, and Akane just said:  
"Oh my!"

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A/N: Yay for another chapter! Don't forget to review on your way out! Thanks!


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